The following letter was sent to the Times-News for publication.
 
 
 To the Editor:
 
 I have followed with amusement the Times-News coverage of the bill now in the General Assembly that would put the issue of slot machine gambling to a statewide referendum. In the initial story, no mention was made of the fact that Western Maryland - and most likely Allegany County - would be targeted as one of four slot locations around the state.
 
 In the second story, the newspaper apparently concluded that despite their lack of coverage, most people knew we would be a slots location, so the story focused on the concept that no one in a position to have slots would welcome them.
 
 Interesting how that story focused on the idea that we would not see slots here, especially since that is the opposite of what’s being reported in the media downstate. According to both the Baltimore Sun and the Washington Post, House Bill 1170 is seen, in part, as a vehicle through which Delegate Casper Taylor can place slots in Western Maryland, something he has worked to accomplish for years.
 
 Which brings us to another point of interest: neither Times-News story mentioned Mr. Taylor’s involvement with this bill. He is, in fact, mentioned more often in conjunction with this legislation in downstate media than is the bill’s author, Delegate Rawlings of Baltimore.
 
 I doubt that the Washington Post and Baltimore Sun would cite Western Maryland as a slots location or would depict Mr. Taylor as a key player in the bill’s existence if they didn’t have some hard evidence to support these assertions.
 
 It’s good the Times-News finally acknowledged our involvement in the slots legislation, but the paper’s effort to downplay the bill’s significance is disturbing. The rest of the state sees Western Maryland as a prime slots location. Shouldn’t the people of Western Maryland know that?
 
 Whether you support or oppose the legalization of slot machines, on one thing most people can probably agree: the citizens of Western Maryland should have a say in whether or not such gambling comes to our community.
 
 Pretending that House Bill 1170 won’t have an impact on Allegany County is ridiculous.
 
 Sincerely,
 
 Kimi-Scott McGreevy
 
 03/06/01